Date: Fri, 1 Mar 1996 12:20:03 -0500 From: NGLTF@aol.com Subject: NGLTF Activist Alert--March '96 ************************************************* NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE ACTIVIST ALERT March 1996 2320 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 332-6483 FAX (202) 332-0207 TTY (202) 332-6219 EMAIL ngltf@ngltf.org WWW http://www.ngltf.org Federal Workers Support NGLTF CFC # 2622 ************************************************* In order to find out how many activists actually take action on the situations outlined in the Activist Alert, please carbon copy all correspondence to NGLTF :Attn Activist Alert. If you phone or fax, please call us and let us know when and what response you received from the target(s). THIS MONTH Reauthorize the Hate Crimes Statistics Act Support Clinton's "Add-Backs" Keep Kentucky Free Protect Utah's Youth Stop California's Civil Wrongs The Linkages Of Oppression Marriage Update Promise Keepers: On The Road Again Saturday Night Live Finds Humor in Death Force WWF to Wrestle Its Homophobia Reauthorize the Hate Crimes Statistics Act The Hate Crimes Statistics Act of 1990 expired at the end of 1995 and needs to be reauthorized this year. The Act requires the Department of Justice to collect data on hate crimes that show evidence of prejudice based on race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Hate crimes, including murder, against individuals solely because of their sexual orientation have unfortunately increased over the past several years, especially in areas with anti-gay and lesbian ballot initiatives. It is important that the FBI continue to collect these statistics so law enforcement and policy-makers will be better able to understand, and combat, these crimes. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Paul Simon (D-IL) are taking the lead on legislation to reauthorize this legislation. It is important to get as many Senate co-sponsors as possible to assure passage of this legislation, without any negative amendments, by this conservative Congress. Members already signed on as co-sponsors are Akaka (D-HI), Bradley (D-NJ), Campbell (R-CO), Chafee (R-RI), D'Amato (R-NY), Kennedy (D-MA), Kerry (D-MA), Kohl (D-WI), Lieberman (D-CT), Simpson (R-WY) and Spector (R-PA). Action: Call your Senators and urge them to co-sponsor this soon-to-be introduced legislation; tell them to call Senators Hatch or Simon to sign up. To get connected to your Senators' offices, call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. *************** Support Clinton's "Add-Backs" The President's funding request for FY 96 Ryan White funding was cut back by Congress. The current resolution will expire on March 15. It is expected that Congress will produce another resolution to provide funding for programs until the end of 1996. The President wants to add back an increase of $90 million over FY 95--this represents the amount of his original FY 96 budget. Action: The Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee is Sen. Hatfield (R-OR); (202) 224-3753. The Chair of the Senate Labor/HHS Subcommittee is Sen. Specter (R-PA); (202) 224-4254. The Chair of the House Appropriations Committee is Rep. Livingston (R-LA); (202) 225-3105. The Chair of the House Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee is Rep. Porter (R-IL); (202) 225-4835. If you are a constituent of any of these members, call them and stress how important it is that Ryan White be funded to the limit. Tell them Ryan White funds help provide basic medical and support service that are life-saving to those with HIV/AIDS in our country. If you are not their constituent, call the Capitol Switchboard, (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the office of you Congressmember. Urge them to support Clinton's FY 96 "add-back" request for Ryan White funding. Ask them to call the leadership of the House and Senate Labor/HHS Subcommittees and full Appropriations Committees to convey their support. *************** Keep Kentucky Free In 1992 the Kentucky State Supreme Court struck down the state's sodomy law as unconstitutional. Right-wing legislators are now trying to recriminalize sodomy. In February, a sodomy amendment was tacked on to an unrelated bill. The amendment calls for creating a new section to the state constitution that would grant the General Assembly "the authority to define and punish sodomy, including between consenting adults." If the bill is approved, the issue would be put before the voters in November for final approval. Action: The Kentucky legislature needs to hear from anyone and everyone concerned about this blatant intrusion into the right of privacy. Contact Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo by calling the legislative switchboard at (502) 564-8100, and let him know you want support a state that discriminates. Urge him to ensure the defeat of Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 219, any other attacks on privacy, or bills that tarrget groups for discrimination. Faxes can be sent to Rep. Stumbo at (502) 564-6543. *************** Protect Utah's Youth In the fall of 1995, students at a East High School in Salt Lake City attempted to start a club for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. When the Utah Eagle Forum heard about it, they went on the offensive. Efforts to ban the formation of such a club were impeded by the Attorney General's office who said that either all extra-curricular clubs would have to be banned or the state could lose federal education funds. The Utah State School Board initially passed a resolution that read in part, "We express our concern over the formation of any organization in school that may create a disruptive or unsafe atmosphere for children or that may attract or entice children to make decisions that could have a long-term negative impact on their lives." On February 20th, the Salt Lake City School Board voted 4-3 to ban all extra-curricular student groups. Action: The ban is scheduled to be implemented in the fall. According to activists in Salt Lake City, there is still a chance the decision can be reversed. Letters and phone calls from concerned activists continue to make an impact. Contact the Salt Lake City School District; 440 East 100 South; Salt Lake City, UT, 84111-1898; phone (801) 578-8599, fax (801) 578-8248 and let them know how you feel. Superintendent Darline Robles, spoke out very strongly in favor of the students who want the gay/straight alliances. Thank her for her support. Thank the school board members who voted in favor of the students: Mary Jo Rasmussen, Roger Thompson, Ila Rose Fife. Ask the "fence sitters"-Diane Barlow, Karen Derrick-if they really mean to punish the children they were elected to protect and serve. Encourage them to reconsider. *************** Stop California's Civil Wrongs The California Civil Rights Initiative is a proposed constitutional amendment for the state November 1996 ballot. If passed, this initiative would, among other things, wipe out minority scholarships and diversity programs at state schools and prohibit any government agency in that state from instituting an affirmative action program-unless ordered by a judge. California is a test state for this type of initiative and if it passes, we can expect to see similar initiatives in other states in the future. Opponents of affirmative action have used racist & sexist rhetoric to convince voters that affirmative action programs should be dismantled. Just because affirmative action programs have not been applied perfectly, does not mean we can or should do without them. Action: Contact Californians for Justice to see how you can become involved. Join the Million Voices For Justice Movement. Californians For Justice; 1611 Telegraph Ave; Suite 206; Oakland, CA 94612; (510) 452-2728; or 1010 S Flower; Suite 218; Los Angeles, CA 90015; (213) 747-4495. Contact Tommi Avicolli-Mecca at Queers for Affirmative Action, (415) 552-6031. *************** Linkages Of Oppressions In the last year we saw a surfacing of hatred & division as the issues of welfare reform, immigration, and affirmative action came to the forefront of our nation's political discussion. If California Civil RIghts Initiative passes, we can expect to see similar ballots in other states. The radical right clearly sees the connections between these issues and civil rights for our community. Many of the supporters of CCRI, anti-immigrant Proposition 187 and welfare reform are against civil rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders. Several of the funders of CCRI also funded Colorado's anti-gay Amendment 2. It's time for our community to understand the connections as well and to be very vocal about our support for fairness and compassion for all. Action: Hold discussion groups, or Town Meetings on Affirmative Action, Welfare Reform and/or Immigration Rights. NGLTF has prepared position papers explaining the issue, the facts, and the arguments behind Affirmative Action, Welfare Reform, and Immigration. Order the Linkages Series, United We Stand: Affirmative Action; Attacking Us All: Welfare Reform; The Costs Of Scapegoating: Anti-Immigrant Backlash; by sending $1 each to NGLTF, Attn: Publications. Or call the NGLTF Publications line at ext 3327. *************** Marriage Update The tally of states facing anti-gay marriage legislation jumped in the past month from 4to 23. These measures are the tactic du jour of anti-gay zealots who were victorious in South Dakota, making it the second state to explicitly ban recognition of same-gender marriage (Utah's measure passed last year). These efforts are an attempt to undermine an anticipated court ruling in Hawaii later this year or early next year granting same-gender couples the legal right to marry. Homophobes are also exploiting this hot-button issue to whip up anti-gay hatred and dollars. Of these 23 attacks this year, South Dakota is our only loss. Legislation was killed in 5 states thus far (ME, MS, NM, VA, WY), leaving 17 states still under attack (AL, AK, CA, CO, GA, HI, ID, IL, IA, KY, MD, MO, RI, SC, TN, WA, WI). Action: Roll back the anti-gay tide and help defeat the remainder of these measures. Call NGLTF Field Organizer Tracey Conaty at (202) 332-6483 ext. 3303 for contacts of those in your state fighting these bills. If your state hasn't been hit this session, it probably will next session. Be ready. Get a copy of NGLTF's marriage organizing manual To Have and To Hold by sending $10 to NGLTF Publications or order by credit card by calling (202) 332-6483 ext. 3327. *************** Promise Keepers: On The Road Again The Promise Keepers are at it again. The evangelical mens group was founded by former University of Colorado head football coach Bill McCartney-a noted active supporter of Colorado's anti-gay Amendment 2. Promise Keepers exploits the very real need that some men have to be connected to family and community by fostering anti-woman and anti-gay sentiment. Their announced tour dates for 1996 (* denotes sold out dates) Los Angeles 4/19-20 Kansas City 4/26-27 Seattle 4/26-27 Detroit 5/10-11* Minneapolis 5/10-11* Atlanta 5/24-25 Washington D.C 5/24-25 Boise 6/7-8 Syracuse 6/7-8 Charlotte 6/21-22 Denver 6/21-22 Chicago 6/28-29* Oakland 6/28-29 Pittsburgh 7/12-13 San Diego 7/12-13 Indianapolis 7/26-27* New Orleans 7/26-27 Eugene 8/2-3 New York City 9/20-21 Memphis 10/11-12 Jacksonville 10/18-19 Dallas Ft. Worth 10/25-26 Action: Be ready to expose the gap between Promise Keepers' rhetoric and reality when they come to your town. Write op-eds, hold a press conference, stage a community rally for unity. Contact Karen Bullock-Jordan in the NGLTF Field Department at extension 3206 for the $5 Promise Keeper background information packets. *************** Saturday Night Live Finds Humor In Death On "Saturday Night Live"s February 24th show, regular Norm MacDonald appeared during the "Weekend Update" before a blowup of a USA Today story. It headlined the recent death sentence of convicted murdered John Lotter resulting from his part in the bloody, execution-style slaying of Brandon Teena, a 20 year old transexual man in Falls City, Nebraska, and two of his friends. Mr. MacDonald had this to say about the sentencing: "In Nebraska, a man was sentenced for killing a female crossdresser [sic] who had accused him of rape and two of her friends. Excuse me if this sounds harsh, but in my mind, they all deserved to die." To date, NBC has declined to issue an apology or retraction, stating that it is not their policy to do so. If matters are not successfully resolved, the NYC Transexual Menace is planning a peaceful picketing of SNL when it returns to production in 2 weeks. Action: Demand that NBC issue a retraction and an apology. Let them know in no uncertain terms that hate violence is not funny, and no one deserves to die because they have the courage and dignity to express their gender identity. Lorne Michaels, SNL Executive Producer and Norm MacDonald, SNL Weekend Update anchor, NBC, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NYC 10112, (212) 664-4444. Other NBC staff can be reached via phone at: Warren Littlefield, President of NBC Entertainment (818) 840-3870, Roz Wineman, head of NBC Standards and Practices (212) 664-5443), Daniel Ferguson, Media Relations (212) 664-3733, Andrew Brewer, Standards & Practices, Community Relations (212) 664-4458. The offices of Littlefield, Wineman, Ferguson Brewer were both constructive and sympathetic. Contact Riki Anne Wilchins at the NYC chapter of Transexual Menace to find out if and when they will picket NBC. (212) 645-1753, riki@pipeline.com *************** Force WWF to Wrestle Its Homophobia Goldust, a limp wristed and menacing World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWF) character, is the object of homo-hatred and anti-gay violence on the weekly cable TV series "Monday Night Raw." The villainously portrayed Goldust was pulverized outside the ring after professing his love for another male wrestler in a January 15 episode of the show. WWF officials thus far have refused to take responsibility for this glorification of gay bashing. Despite many letters and calls, Goldust is scheduled to appear on "WWF Superstars" on the weekend of March 2 and 3 and to be interviewed during "Monday Night Raw" on March 4. Action: Contact WWF and demand they wrestle their homophobia. Demand they combat anti-gay violence, not promote it, by ending their exaltation of homophobic violence. Demand also that they add anti-violence info to its AOL site and providing links to AOL's gay and lesbian forum and to web pages of groups battling anti-gay violence. Contact Christine M. Wypy; Fan Services Coordinator; WWF, TitanSports, Inc.; Titan Tower; 1241 East Main Street; PO Box 3857; Stamford, CT 06902. Telephone: (203) 352-8600; Fax (203) 352-8699. Copy correspondence to Linda E. McMahon, President of TitanSports, at the same address. --- If you have an item you think should be included in ACTIVIST ALERT, please mail or fax it to , Activist Alert, NGLTF Policy Institute, 2320 17th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009; fax (202) 332-0207; e-mail ngltf@ngltf.org. All entries should be national in scope or should allow for activists from around the country to respond.